Great Grilling Tips to Make Summer Meals Sizzle

By admin

Created 05/22/2013 - 11:00pm

POSTED: Wednesday, May 22, 2013 - 11:00pm

UPDATED: Thursday, June 6, 2013 - 2:03pm

(StatePoint) Now that warmer weather and summer are upon us, grilling season is here again and families are taking meals outside to enjoy the sunshine. While a traditional barbeque is always great, Americans are increasingly adding unique twists to their summer grilling routines.

Here are some tips to get creative on your grill with some fresh ideas:

Set a Theme

If you’re throwing a barbeque, one way to get guests excited is to pick a theme. Great themes should be fun and easy to follow, such as a Hawaiian luau, southern hoedown, or summer beach party. Make food fit the theme and encourage guests to wear themed clothes.

Grill More than Meat

Burgers, hot dogs and steaks are staples at most cookouts, but the best barbeques don’t limit themselves to just this standard fare. Expand the options and consider adding unique items such as grilled pizza and breads to the menu.

Next time you’re deciding on dinner, try grilling a pizza, which is an easy option that the whole family, including kids, will enjoy. Start with fresh pizza dough, such as Pillsbury Refrigerated Pizza Crust. Roll it out, grill for a golden crisp crust, and top it just the way you want it. Opt for a classic choice like mozzarella and tomatoes, or get innovative with a taco pizza or a BBQ chicken pizza. It’s faster than takeout, done your way and doesn’t leave a mess to clean up.

If you are serving traditional BBQ, go beyond boring buns and try something unique, such as grilling biscuits for your burgers, chicken and hot dogs.

For sides, grill fruit to accompany the main course. Pineapples, plums and peaches are delectable when grilled. The natural sugars caramelize with heat. And these fruits are low in calories and loaded with vitamins and minerals.

Shake up Dessert

Ice cream and frozen yogurt immediately come to mind for barbeques, but did you know you can grill your dessert? Try grilling a pie at your next get-together. Grilled pie can be the perfect finale to a successful barbeque. All you need is a pie crust, such as Pillsbury refrigerated Pie Crust, and the filling you like. To make an easy grilled strawberry pie, follow this recipe: